Narrative:
American Flyers Flight 280/D, a Lockheed Electra, crashed 2,4 km northeast of the Ardmore Municipal Airport, OK (ADM). Of the 93 passengers and five crewmembers aboard, 18 passengers survived, however, three of them later succumbed to injuries. The aircraft was destroyed by impact and subsequent fire.
The aircraft operated on a Military Air Command contract Civil Air Movement Charter flight from Monterey, CA (MRY) to Columbus, GA via Ardmore, OK.
Flight 280/D departed Monterey Peninsula Airport at 16:32.
The crew missed a runway 08 ADF instrument approach to Ardmore, so they attempted a visual circling approach to runway 30. The aircraft struck a hill at an elevation of 963 feet (airport elevation being 762 feet msl).
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The incapacitation, due to a coronary insufficiency, of the pilot-in-command at a critical point during visual, circling approach being conducted under instrument flight conditions."
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Friday 22 April 1966 |
| Time: | 20:30 |
| Type: |  Lockheed L-188C Electra |
| Operator: | American Flyers Airline |
| Registration: | N183H |
| MSN: | 1136 |
| First flight: | 1961 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4019 |
| Engines: | 4 Allison 501-D13A |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 78 / Occupants: 93 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 83 / Occupants: 98 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 2,4 km (1.5 mls) NE of Ardmore Municipal Airport, OK (ADM) ( United States of America)
|
| Crash site elevation: | 294 m (965 feet) amsl |
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Monterey Peninsula Airport, CA (MRY/KMRY), United States of America |
| Ardmore Municipal Airport, OK (ADM/KADM), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 280/D |
American Flyers Flight 280/D, a Lockheed Electra, crashed 2,4 km northeast of the Ardmore Municipal Airport, OK (ADM). Of the 93 passengers and five crewmembers aboard, 18 passengers survived, however, three of them later succumbed to injuries. The aircraft was destroyed by impact and subsequent fire.
The aircraft operated on a Military Air Command contract Civil Air Movement Charter flight from Monterey, CA (MRY) to Columbus, GA via Ardmore, OK.
Flight 280/D departed Monterey Peninsula Airport at 16:32.
The crew missed a runway 08 ADF instrument approach to Ardmore, so they attempted a visual circling approach to runway 30. The aircraft struck a hill at an elevation of 963 feet (airport elevation being 762 feet msl).
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The incapacitation, due to a coronary insufficiency, of the pilot-in-command at a critical point during visual, circling approach being conducted under instrument flight conditions."
Accident investigation:
 |
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Sources:
» American Flyers Crash MemorialPhotos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Monterey Peninsula Airport, CA to Ardmore Municipal Airport, OK as the crow flies is 2242 km (1401 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
Distance from Monterey Peninsula Airport, CA to Ardmore Municipal Airport, OK as the crow flies is 2242 km (1401 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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Lockheed L-188
- 222 built
- 10th loss
- 7th fatal accident
- The worst accident (at the time)
- 5th worst accident (currently)
United States of America- 7th worst accident (at the time)
- 27th worst accident (currently)
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